Panda Panda

First appearing on the pan-Asian neo-eatery scene back in 2019, Another Asian fusion spot? After Double Dragon, Petit Bao, Wagamama and Cheval d’Or, Panda Panda is winning over Paris Paris with its colorful take on the genre – with its own sparkling cleanwell-groomed take on the genre (– a windowed kitchen, a neon dragon light and a mah-jong-inspired bar). And if owners André Tan and Lucas Sauquet have opened up quite a few new spots since then (Tiger Tiger, Baobar, Suzie Wong) these former investment bankers still keep an attentive eye on their first joint. What should you expect? All of Hong Kong and Taiwan’s street food classics that have been given a clever twist, for this wonderfully straight-to-the-point menu: poached shrimp wontons with bamboo shoots and chili sauce, or marinated chicken, Chinese cabbage and ginger wontons to start, and for us, the last time we went: plump bao stuffed with juicy braised pork belly, shiso, pickled red onion and cucumber; before some tantalizing fresh noodles with soybeans and lamb shoulder slow-cooked for four hours, all lounging in a cumin- and coriander-spiced both… Before giving into sweet temptation: coconut and black sesame mochi topped with peanut cream, or a scoop of refreshing yuzu sorbet. // Ninsu

FEELING THIRSTY? A large selection of drinks with or without bubbles: iced black tea with peach syrup and yuzu juice (€5.50), Citra Galactique IPA (€6.50 for 330 ml), remastered Moscow mules with yuzushu (€10), and if you want wine, J’ai rendez-vous avec vous, an organic Roussillon grenache from the Domaine Rière Cadène (€8 a glass, €30 a bottler)…
PRICE: À la carte €21-30.